The Buckeyes led for more than 25 minutes and were up 40-36 at halftime. They surrendered the lead just under two minutes into the second half on a pair of Stevens free throws. They got it back on an Andre Wesson 3-pointer with 6:39 to play.

Meanwhile, Penn State’s offense went cold. The Nittany Lions went without a field goal for 4:29 of the final 5:11 before Carr cut Ohio State’s lead to 69-67 with a layup with 42 seconds left.

THE BIG PICTURE

Ohio State: The Buckeyes sometimes hopeful, oftentimes frustrating season can be summed up by looking at their last two games — a complete effort in a win over No. 22 Wisconsin and this back-and-forth tilt with middle-of-the-pack Penn State.

Penn State: The Nittany Lions have often looked like a completely different — and much more competitive — team at home. With youth on their side, the Nittany Lions just need more consistency to take the next step.